


ancient hills

by Kunenk



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Duskwight Elezen (Final Fantasy XIV), Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal Spoilers, Post-Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal, Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te (Final Fantasy XIV), Specific Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Tumblr: FFXIVwrite2020, largely ocs all the way down, vaguely shippy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26442604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kunenk/pseuds/Kunenk
Summary: A collection of ficlets for FFXIV Write 2020.
Collections: Wondrous Tails of FFXIV 2020





	1. table of contents

**Table of Contents**

**1: Tooth and Nail**  
A pause in the journey down to Amaurot. K'pandolu Tohka (Warrior of Light), Thancred Waters. Set towards the end of the 5.0 main scenario and more or less spoilery for some things that happened. Gen, more or less.

 **2: Muster**  
Some Ages ago, the family hold annual races. Younger sister Tuhil takes some advice from her older sister Qilna. Gen.

 **3: Lucubration**  
Dorys Torsefors, one of the other adventurers with the Scions, comes to Coerthas to meet K'pandolu after the incident at the Waking Sands. K'pandolu asks a favour. Gen.

 **4: Fade**  
K'pandolu decides to ask the Exarch about dyes, and then brings some pigments anyway. Gen.

 **5: Where the Heart Is**  
Returning to the Rising Stones. Spoilers for the end of Patch 5.3. Gen; vaguely shippy.

 **6: Foibles**  
K'pandolu picks up a new piece of gear, and complains about it. Gen.

 **7: Beam**  
Clothing troubles during transit. Gen, sci-fi AU.


	2. Tooth and Nail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pause in the journey down to Amaurot. More or less end of 5.0 spoilers.

If nothing else, that they are able to see the seafloor like this is incredible. K’pandolu reaches out a hand to touch it, listening as hard as she can for the sound it makes. Maybe, if she had time, she’d take a sample- but she doesn’t have the tools, nor the energy if she did. But the thought is steadying- there is a life beyond this, beyond the history pressed into layers of time and memory. Beyond whatever awaits in the city ahead.

A hand touches her shoulder, and K’pandolu starts, hand half-raised as she turns. But she and the other Scions are the only ones here, and she gives Thancred an apologetic half-smile, hand falling to her side. “Sorry,” she says, the words feeling stifled in this halfway space, lost in greys and echoes. “I lost myself in thought, I’m afraid.”

“I thought that must be it,” Thancred says, and squeezes her shoulder before letting go. She almost wishes he hadn’t, but- perhaps that’s safer, with this much Light in her. “If you need a rest, don’t be afraid to ask.”

Under her skin, her bones ache and the Light pushes- but she pushes back. Not yet, she thinks. Not against them- never. She clenches her fist- claws encased in her gauntlets, but the movement is enough to remind her. “Just a little further,” she says.

“Don’t push yourself,” says Thancred, several-times champion of doing exactly that.

K’pandolu huffs, eyes crinkling. “I won’t,” she agrees, and means _until I need to, for you. For the others._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some other parts I'd like to write around the descent, and maybe this'll fit in there.


	3. Muster (Gen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometime in the past, before a race.

Weeks of preparation, and now they are here. Tuhil tries to keep her walk laid-back, but her tail betrays her, flicking back and forth eagerly as she goes to the breakfast tent. At least the family who note her passing look indulgent, she thinks, before ducking in and almost walking into Elder Sister Qilna.

Qilna grins when she spots Tuhil, reaching out to ruffle between Tuhil’s ears. Tuhil flattens them and pulls away, sticking her tongue out. “I’m not a child anymore, stop that!”

“Right, right,” Qilna says, holding up her hands in mock defeat. Her tail is curled, and Tuhil eyes it with suspicion for a moment, before Qilna speaks again. “It’s your first year, right? Looking forward to winning?”

“Don’t tease me,” Tuhil mutters- she _wants_ to, of course, but as a newcomer to the proper races, she’s been given one of the more sedate hipparions. They won’t be winning anything this year.

“Well,” Qilna says, leaning back and tilting her head, hands clasped behind her. “Maybe not this year. But you’ll keep working, right?”

It’s what she wants, more than anything, and Tuhil nods, her ears pricking up. “Do you… have any advice?”

Qilna hesitates, shifting from foot to foot, tail weaving uneasy circles. “…remember what they told you,” she says. “Just- stay on, they say they won’t mark it, but it’ll keep you back. And-” She glances at the table. “Go easy on breakfast,” she advises. “You know what nerves are like.”

“Ew,” Tuhil says, grimacing. “I’m not gonna do _that_!” She’s pretty sure that’s a good way to put her steed off forever, or at least for longer than she likes.

Qilna chuckles, reaching out to ruffle Tuhil’s hair again before she goes for her younger sister’s shoulder. “Then you’re off to a good start,” she says. “Good luck.”

One ear flicks, and Tuhil nods. “Thank you, Elder Sister,” she says, because even if she doesn’t need it, it’s always a good wish, right?


	4. Lucubration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the incident at the Waking Sands, Dorys comes to meet K'pandolu, Alphinaud and Cid in Coerthas.

It had been a long time since Dorys had visited the Coerthas Central Highlands, which she’d intended to put it off longer. But a half-hearted response from K’pandolu over the linkpearl and worry for what had happened in the Sands had pointed her north, so she went.

Camp Dragonhead was largely as she remembered it- covered with snow, but that was most of Coerthas now. She knocked the snow off her boots before entering, looking around. It didn’t take long for her to spot K’pandolu, her companion’s dour expression turning to surprise before she walked over.

“Dorys!” she said, bright tone at odds with her puffed tail. “I didn’t think you’d be here so soon- do you want to talk? Somewhere else?”

Dorys glanced up, and caught sight of a solidly built Hyur and a young elezen she just recognised as the young Alphinaud Leveilleur, discussing- stars, she thought, not trying too hard to catch the conversation. “Won’t they mind that you’re gone?” she asked.

“Alphinaud’ll be impatient either way,” K’pandolu muttered. “And- look, the commander’s all right, but Coerthas is…” She shook herself, ears flattening, and Dorys nodded in agreement. Ishgard’s gates had been closed for several years, and it was no surprise that attitude stood outside the gates as well.

“What are you doing here, then?” she asked.

“Looking for the Enterprise- Cid’s airship- ah, that’s him,” K’pandolu said, indicating the man Dorys had taken for a Hyur .

“He is?” Dorys said in some disbelief. “Is there any proof?”

K’pandolu pressed her lips together, and fidgeted. “He’s good with machinery,” she hedged. “Anyhow, Alphinaud reckons he can fly the Enterprise- if we can find it- so now that you’re here-” She clasped her hands together, looking up at Dorys. “Maybe you can help us do some of the calculations to figure out where it is?”

Dorys put a hand on her hip, head cocked. “Do you have the patience for that?”

“I’ll try,” K’pandolu admitted, hand over her heart. “I just… want to do something that’ll help.” For a moment, she looked vulnerable, and Dorys wondered what she had seen, before reaching out to pat K’pandolu.

“I’ll expect you to keep up,” she said.

K’pandolu nodded furiously, tail curling. “I’ll do my best,” she promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While Dorys has kind of been in my head for a while, her backstory's not completely solid yet- at this time, I've been putting her as part of a minor house, who decided she'd prefer to find out what other parts of the continent were like. Consequently, she's rather in two minds about going north again.


	5. Fade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during 5.0- colour at the Crystarium.

The guards knocks, and the Exarch sets aside his report. “Come in,” he calls, wondering why K’pandolu has decided to visit now. At least he won’t have long to wonder, K’pandolu giving the guard a word of thanks before she turns her attention to him. “My friend- might I ask what has happened?” With the Lightwarden gone, the eaters are quiet around Lakeland- he hopes she hasn’t found some other source of trouble. Not that that would surprise him, of course…

“Ah, well,” K’pandolu starts, rubbing the back of her head. “I know it’s minor, but- Exarch, you remember the night, right?”

“I… am certainly amongst the longest-lived of the Crystarium,” the Exarch agrees, puzzled.

“Then… would you say the Light is having more of an effect on peoples’ clothes?”

“…I can't say we've thought to try to measure that," the Exarch admits. He hums for a moment, thinking, and shakes his head. “We keep a good stock of dyes, but… I wouldn’t say we were running out more than I would expect.”

"Yeah, I thought that might be the case," K'pandolu says, head tilted, with an embarrassed smile. “It _is_ a small thing, it's just… I noticed there’s plenty of colour around the Crystarium, and I thought, well. If I happened to come across any pigment deposits…”

“Only if you wish to,” the Exarch says firmly. “I do not wish to see you overburdening yourself, my friend.”

K’pandolu gives him a wry smile. “Well, it’s just… they’re nice to have,” she says. Given that she has chosen a striking white and green ensemble, the Exarch feels that he can only agree.

Some time later, Katliss sends him a report that K’pandolu has brought the Mean enough pigments for a year, and the Exarch can only shake his head. “As determined as ever,” he murmurs, and sets about trying to figure out what, exactly, constitutes appropriate repayment.


	6. where the heart is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post 5.3. Returning to the Rising Stones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for the end of patch 5.3.

The tea is boiled, and Tataru is just setting out the plates when her ears catch the sound of eager footsteps, right before the door bursts open, for the second time that day. She turns, shaking her head, already knowing who’s coming. “K’pandolu, you can’t slam that door every time you come in,” she says. “Think of the hinges! And- oh?” Her gaze catches on the man in K’pandolu’s arms- a miqo’te with red hair, who looks vaguely familiar. “Is this who you rushed off to get?”

K’pandolu grins, the entirety of her body seeming to vibrate, while the man gives Tataru an embarrassed grin. “Yes! I don’t recall if you ever met- Tataru, this is G’raha, G’raha, Tataru.” She starts moving again, towards Dawn’s Respite, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll be back to help in just a moment!”

“Wait, don’t-”

But K’pandolu has already slammed the door open, beaming at the others inside- and Krile in particular. “Krile! Look who I found,” she says, and dumps G’raha right in front of her.

“…hello,” G’raha says, and casts K’pandolu a vexed look. “Could you not have spared me some dignity before bringing me to meet my oldest and dearest friend?”

“Never heard of it,” K’pandolu says calmly, and sweeps out again. “Tataru, this is a homecoming, you’re not fixing that loaf, right-“

The door clicks shut behind her, and Krile folds her arms. “Well,” she says, and grins wickedly. “I daresay all your dramatics have been rubbing off on her, haven’t they? Certainly you looked quite dashing- the sleeping prince caught up in his princess’s arms!”

“Krile, please,” G’raha says, ears falling back a little, blushing hard and doing his very best not to look at their audience.

Krile smirks. “I do have years of teasing you to catch up on, you know,” she says.

It won’t be only Krile who teases him now, G’raha’s sure, but- he glances, for a moment, and can’t help but smile. “I know,” he agrees. “But do you have to start _now_?”

The only response he gets to that is a laugh, and Krile reaches out to pat his hand. “It’s good to see you again,” she says, smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope for Krile and G'raha teasing each other in future patches. Please, Square.


	7. Foibles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which K'pandolu is less than thrilled by a new piece of gear.

“I have _questions_ about House Dzemael,” K’pandolu said, stomping into the living room

Dorys peered over the top of her book, far too comfortable to get up to deal with whatever disaster had befallen K’pandolu’s mood. “I remind you, I have no close links to Dzemael, and so may not be able to answer them.”

K’pandolu’s ears flattened back against her head, her flush deepening. She brandished something thin and black, as though it was something foul dragged up from the depths of the Hopeseed Pools. “ _This_ ,” she said, “barely counts as armour in the Coliseum. The _hells_ is it doing in a Coerthan stronghold!?”

Her voice had steadily increased over the sentence, and Dorys put a hand over one ear to try and muffle the sound. “Ow,” she said plaintively. “Volume, K'pandolu. I don’t know, I’m sure. Why don’t you ask one of them?”

“Sorry,” K’pandolu said, contrite, and thumped into one of the other chairs, the piece of clothing hanging over the chair’s arm. “I don’t think I know any to ask- Ser Drillemont’s of, uh. House Durandaire, isn’t he?”

“He is.” Dorys marked her page with her thumb, and leaned forward. “What about asking Ser Haurchefant?”

K’pandolu blinked at her several times, tilting her head, one ear twitching further. “…isn’t he from House Fortemps?” she asked. “ _Would_ he know?”

Dorys sighed, reaching up to message her temple. “He gave you something like that, didn’t he?”

“Yes, and I said warmer armour would be better,” K’pandolu pointed out. She continued to give Dorys a puzzled look, before something apparently settled in her mind. “I suppose that would be the sort of thing people dream about when the weather’s too cold to actually dress that way,” she concluded, nodding to herself.

Now it was Dorys’ turn to squint. “It’s… possible,” she allowed.

“It is meant for showing off in the Coliseum, after all,” K’pandolu added, and pushed herself out of the chair. “I’d rather grow a winter coat, though. I’ll see if I can’t pawn this off on someone else.”

Dorys considered for a moment, and found herself struck with morbid curiosity. “Why _did_ you take it in the first place?”

“I thought it was gonna cover more,” K’pandolu said, pouting.

“…well, with an attitude like that, I can’t say you’d make it far there.”

K’pandolu gave her a wry grin. “Just as well I chose the path I did, I suppose,” she said, and headed outside, presumably to find another victim for the subligar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Coliseum Subligar really doesn't cover a lot. I think in the end I ended up using the Infantry Skirt most of the time, at least around town. I'm definitely glad there are more options now!


	8. Beam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kinda Galaxy Quest inspired.

The team arrived at the teleporter room, Alphinaud windmilling his way into a stop, and stared.

“You lost your shirt _again_?” Tataru demanded, the feather on her cap practically bristling.

“Given that this seems to keep happening, I can only wonder whether the emergency transporter has a vendetta against your shirts,” Y’shtola observed.

Thancred gave her a wry grin, already making his way over to the room’s locker. “Either that, or the people living there. I swear, they seemed even more interested in getting their hands on it than the last group.”

“…at least the material shouldn't cause problems, I don't think,” K’pandolu said. She frowned at Thancred. “You’d better get a check-up, I didn’t like the look of their claws.”

“And _you_ lost your sleeves! Again!” Tataru reached up to tug K’pandolu down, so that she could get a better look. “Really, why do we send you out with them at all…”

“It is the uniform,” Y’shtola pointed out, moving to Thancred’s side. “But perhaps it’s time to reevaluate them.”


End file.
